BBC sends staff on 'Facebook course'

The BBC is spending thousands of pounds on sending staff on a course to teach them how to use Facebook.

Thousands of employees are eligible to go on the Making the Web Work for You day course, which costs £100 a time.

It includes information on how to use the popular social networking site, and others such as Twitter and Bebo.

But some staff have criticised the move as a waste of money – using Facebook to do so.

According to The Sun, one sound engineer wrote: "We're meant to be belt-tightening. It's an astonishing waste of money.

"Teenagers who can barely read or write have managed to teach themselves."

Philip Davies, a Conservative MP who is on the House of Commons' culture, media and sport select committee, described it as "pathetic".

However, a BBC spokesman defended the course – which she said was voluntary – stressing that it was about much more than using social networking sites.

She said: "This one day internal course is offered to BBC staff to help them develop effective and comprehensive internet research and social media skills for use in their jobs."

She described a figure of 23,000 staff eligible for the course as "pure speculation", saying it would only release the figure if forced to do so by a freedom on information request.

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conny said:

Its happening in every industry.
Last year we took a 3.5% pay cut and no annual rise, equal in total to about a 5% paycut. Since then we have all been sent on H&S courses, FLT driving courses, inter-personal awareness courses, etc. They now want us to come up with suggestions for saving money!

Let me see, what can we cut back on?
Mmmm, can't think of anything off the top of my head.
Lets have a meeting for half a day to discuss it.

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Ah! I see the management training wasn't wasted then!

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